The Substance hits select theaters on Friday, September 20, starring the iconic Demi Moore. In the critically-acclaimed horror film which made waves at the Cannes Film Festival last spring, Moore portrays an aging Hollywood star who takes a black-market drug that temporarily transforms her into a younger version of herself—but with terrifying consequences. (Check out the trailer below.)
As you might guess from the description, the movie dives deep into themes of societal expectations, beauty standards, and the obsession with youth, just to scratch the surface—all topics which resonate with Moore. In a newly published interview with Interview Magazine, she sat down with actress Michelle Yeoh to discuss those very subjects. Ahead, we’ve pulled some of the standout moments from their conversation.
On the Power of Self-Perception
“At the core of it, what it’s really about is what we do to ourselves, and I loved that it was illustrated in such a physical way—showing that violence with what we do with our thoughts, how we attack ourselves and distort things. There’s great power in knowing that what we do to ourselves is a choice, and we can make a different choice. And for those who aren’t looking for such a deep message, it’s just entertaining.”
On Creating Vulnerability On-Screen
“She [director Coralie Fargeat] spent a lot of time, way before we were on set, being very clear on the importance of the vulnerability of being in that nude state. It was not about it being sexualized, but it was about being raw and exposed in those ways that we are when we’re alone and we’re not thinking that anybody’s looking. It was something that needed to be without decoration. I mean there was truly a part, when Margaret [Qualley] and I were on this cold tile floor having to be draped on one another—and it was a very serious scene—that we both just burst out laughing, saying, ‘Thank god we like each other, because otherwise this would be really awkward.’ I felt like I had such a partner in this with Margaret, that we both were exploring this from two different aspects. Sometimes it felt like I represented Coralie in her present time, and Margaret was representing this perfected idea that was, in Coralie’s experience, held against her. And I don’t even think it’s limited to women. At the core of this, it’s so much a reflection of our human condition, because for me, it’s not against men.”
On Navigating Hollywood in Her Forties
“What’s interesting is I felt it more when I hit my forties. I had done Charlie’s Angels, and there was a lot of conversation around this scene in a bikini, and it was all very heightened, a lot of talk about how I looked. And then I found that there didn’t seem to be a place for me. I didn’t feel like I didn’t belong. It’s more like I felt that feeling of, I’m not 20, I’m not 30, but I wasn’t yet what they perceived as a mother.”
On Challenging Ageism in the Industry
“Hollywood is cruel to women of that age, where you don’t find the scripts or the characters that resonate with you anymore. It’s either, you are the mother or you’re old enough not to be sexy in their eyes. It’s like, why can’t a 45-year-old, a 50-year-old, or 60-year-old, be sexy? But that whole perception is undergoing a lot of change because people like you and me won’t sit back and just take it.”
